Unify by PluginGuru; The next big thing?

[SciFiArtMan]

I don't have that much experience with Unify yet. Is there a way to set the key trigger for the Guru Sampler to MONO, for non-overlapping sounds like bass guitar, synth leads, etc.? Thanks!

I'm working on that right now! Next Unify release will feature a full mono/legato mode for Guru Sampler, with adjustable portamento. Stay tuned...

Will do, thank you! And I understand about the "VERY early-stage prototype"! Still excited and thrilled!

[grdh20]

I'd just like to just point out this is one, if not the most responsive dev ever for something like this synth. It is definitely appreciated.

[BERFAB]

I'm kind of new to Plugin Guru, and this thread brought me into the Unify universe. Watching the available videos, it's clear that SkipPy is passionate about his work, to say the least. He's clearly having a blast, and wants us to as well. Who can resist that kind of enthusiasm? So, I bought a copy.

Easy download, easy install. Also, as advertised, on my system at least, the vst/vst3 scan was bulletproof and relatively fast.

Spent several blissful hours checking out the included presets. All I kept thinking is, "I can't believe he gets these amazing patches out of a bunch of freebie instruments." If I hadn't been so intent on checking everything out, I could have easily bumped out a track or two on just what is in there. Easily worth the price of admission just for the patches. Very smart of the dev to make this an instrument you can play right out of the box.

Then, loading my own instruments and effects was a breeze. No crashes or even hesitation on the system. Very stable to the point of feeling like a "light" plug, despite it running some of my heaviest plugs.

I'm going to have to watch a few more tutorials to figure out how to get the most out of this thing. Effect configurations aren't quite clear to me yet, and I'm still trying to figure out how the MIDI plugs fit into the picture.

Finally, I like that the dev says he's just getting started and will be adding more features in the near future. Also, very curious as to what a "Pro" version of this thing will look like. I'm sure it will be grand.

Very happy buying into this little experiment. And, looking forward to the patch sets developed on it for my other instruments like Omnisphere, etc.

Cheers
-B

[bharris22]

Without reading through 22 pages, what does Unify do that I can't do by loading VSTs, audio effects and/or MIDI plugins into one or more individual tracks in my DAW? Is the single window the main selling point here? I did watch the "This is Unify" video on the website, but didn't see anything that would "blow me away" (maybe I am just too jaded in my old age).

I am not trying to discount the value of the plugin at all - just trying to understand the purpose better before deciding whether to buy it during the intro period. I see comments on the developer's website along the lines of "mind blowing" and "changed my life" - I would like a plugin to do that for me, too .

Any help you can provide would be appreciated!

[tony10000]

Without reading through 22 pages, what does Unify do that I can't do by loading VSTs, audio effects and/or MIDI plugins into one or more individual tracks in my DAW? Is the single window the main selling point here? I did watch the "This is Unify" video on the website, but didn't see anything that would "blow me away" (maybe I am just too jaded in my old age).

I am not trying to discount the value of the plugin at all - just trying to understand the purpose better before deciding whether to buy it during the intro period. I see comments on the developer's website along the lines of "mind blowing" and "changed my life" - I would like a plugin to do that for me, too .

Any help you can provide would be appreciated!

Why do you need Unify? Let me count the ways you can use it:

1. You are a composer and are looking for a lot of great sounds for not very much money. ($59 intro price for 400 professionally produced sounds is about 15 cents a sound. Even at full price, only 20 cents a sound.)

2. You don’t have the bread to buy something like Komplete but would like to have access to great sample libraries for not much $$$. You get a great base sample library and a platform that is expandable without breaking the bank.

3. You are a music producer and want to be able to layer your own synths without a lot of drama. Unify is a great platform for very quick layering and those layers can be easily saved.

4. You use multiple DAWs and want a solution to use your custom layers easily with various DAWs.

5. You are a sound designer who likes to craft custom sounds without being tied to a single synth. Unify has a sample player, nice selection of free synths, an arp, and effects to create unique sounds on-the-fly within seconds that can be easily saved.

6. You collaborate with other composers that use different DAWs and/or OSes and want a platform for collaboration. If you stick with the stock sounds and instruments, that type of collaboration is very easy.

Worth it for the sounds alone. The ability to layer and mix your own synths and effects is a huge bonus.

[David]

Unify…
1. Combines plugin grouping/layering with easy per-layer key-range and velocity-response editing, intricate per-layer and master-level Audio and MIDI FX routing, macro parameter modulation for all plugins, and device and layer-level state saving, all inside a hosting plugin that can be used in and transferred between any DAWs.

2. Comes preloaded with a curated collection of superb instrument and FX plugins, lots of first-rate samples and an excellent sample-player, and over 400 world-class patches using only the provided FX, samples, and instruments, as well as allowing you to use and combine any of your own instrument, FX and MIDI FX plugins with these included, in any formats no matter which DAW you prefer (eg: VST/VST3s inside Logic).

3. Offers access to further developments to the plugin from both the dedicated and super-enthusiastic main devs, as well as all future patch designs and preset packages using any and all plugins the chief sound designer John “Skippy” Lehmkuhl built Unify to facilitate for his own sound-design purposes, as well as those sure to come from various collaborators around the world.

[starflakeprj]

Did someone else get a forced restart (Windows) after the installation of Unify?

[BERFAB]

Did someone else get a forced restart (Windows) after the installation of Unify?

Yes.

[starflakeprj]

Did someone else get a forced restart (Windows) after the installation of Unify?

Yes.

Ok, I don't like this behaviour. You should have the option to choose yourself, most restarts are completely unnecessary, even with c++ redistributables installed. Also, would be nice to get an option to choose where to install the VST2.4 file, even though it's easy to copy it afterwards. Those are easy additions to the installer.

[BERFAB]

Did someone else get a forced restart (Windows) after the installation of Unify?

Yes.

Ok, I don't like this behaviour. You should have the option to choose yourself, most restarts are completely unnecessary, even with c++ redistributables installed. Also, would be nice to get an option to choose where to install the VST2.4 file, even though it's easy to copy it afterwards. Those are easy additions to the installer.

Well, to be fair, I WAS given the option, IIRC. But I was slow to respond and it started the reboot. But I was able to stop that before it completed. Then I just did it later. No worries.

[ree]

Did someone else get a forced restart (Windows) after the installation of Unify?

I did on my Windows 10 PC, It just rebooted itself without warning.

[ludl]

My big problem with Unify is that I am having so much fun creating incredible patches with the app that I haven't recorded much music in the last 3 weeks. It is so addictive. Well over 100 patches created that I never would have conceived of although I've had these vst's for ages.

I think if you begin to understand how this application simplifies your life, then you will see the amazing uses for this program.

Yes, you can build the same sets right in your DAW …. let's see, I load up Cthulhu, then have it drive Omnisphere and Blue 2. Have to set those pesky inputs. Then I add another synth vst not connected and jump from vst to vst setting patches and parameters. This is all DAW work and what do you do with the creation. You save it in the project and then it sort of gets lost.

With Unify, youdrop in Cthulhu or other midi fx's as many as you want. Then add some vsts. To connect Omnisphere and Blue 2, you just select M1 instead of Raw Midi from a drop down on each layer. You want 5 midi fx in the same patch, no problem each automatically gets a designation M1, M2, M3, M4, M5. You build a massive patch in seconds, click the save button and the patch is done for good. I use Sonar, Reaper and Studio One. I work with anyone of these and Unify in each DAW allows me to load the patch. Try that working individually in each DAW.

It is so amazingly simple because all the heavy lifting goes on under the hood of Unify. I can't even figure why the patches load so fast. True a few seconds for Kontakt instruments because Kontakt has to load and then the File you use in Kontakt, but that is much faster than normal in my DAWs.

[DrMEM]

Without reading through 22 pages, what does Unify do that I can't do by loading VSTs, audio effects and/or MIDI plugins into one or more individual tracks in my DAW? Is the single window the main selling point here? I did watch the "This is Unify" video on the website, but didn't see anything that would "blow me away" (maybe I am just too jaded in my old age).

I was able to recreate most of Unify's init/blank patch in Reaper with a bunch of tracks and sends. In fact, long before Unify had ever been announced I had already created most of it and saved it as a track template in Reaper, with the intent of pulling it in to future projects when I wanted to make "unified" stacks of instruments.

Here's the thing though. The Reaper track template I made is such a f*cking headache to deal with that I basically never used it. Unify simplifies the organization and the workflow significantly.

There's also something that Unify can do that I wasn't able to pull off in Reaper, and that's being able to assign a single CC to control a bunch of different parameters in different instruments and/or fx with different curves for each parameter. The per-instance and per-instrument velocity curves in Unify are handy too.

[focusrite]

Without reading through 22 pages, what does Unify do that I can't do by loading VSTs, audio effects and/or MIDI plugins into one or more individual tracks in my DAW? Is the single window the main selling point here? I did watch the "This is Unify" video on the website, but didn't see anything that would "blow me away" (maybe I am just too jaded in my old age).

I was able to recreate most of Unify's init/blank patch in Reaper with a bunch of tracks and sends. In fact, long before Unify had ever been announced I had already created most of it and saved it as a track template in Reaper, with the intent of pulling it in to future projects when I wanted to make "unified" stacks of instruments.

Here's the thing though. The Reaper track template I made is such a f*cking headache to deal with that I basically never used it. Unify simplifies the organization and the workflow significantly.

There's also something that Unify can do that I wasn't able to pull off in Reaper, and that's being able to assign a single CC to control a bunch of different parameters in different instruments and/or fx with different curves for each parameter. The per-instance and per-instrument velocity curves in Unify are handy too.

What about CPU load?

[matteogk]

CPU load is perfectly managed by Unify, I am quite surprised, it handles resources very efficiently.
Creating layers with all kind of plugins, inst, efx, etc., is so easy, no daw groups, no hazy assignements.
You simply can save a patch that you can later use as a single instrument inside ANY DAW (not only one) and standalone.
I combined so easily Diva, Omnisphere, Kontakt and found myself tweaking details for superb sounds.
Not only it speeds up the creative process, but then you have your own sound library, made with ALL your best plugins, ready to use in any environment.
The factory content is very good, all instruments and audio/midi efx (wasn't that obvious with PluginGuru? Yes...).
It is so easy to combine effects per layer or master, fine tune instruments to each other, that I find Unify is a super effiecient and powerful shortcut for limitless sound creation.
All Thumbs Up!!